U.S. patent application number 13/523833 was filed with the patent office on 2012-12-27 for light guide assembly and optical touch module using the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to PixArt Imaging Inc.. Invention is credited to Hui-Hsuan Chen, HUNG-CHING LAI.
Application Number | 20120327036 13/523833 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47361394 |
Filed Date | 2012-12-27 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20120327036 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LAI; HUNG-CHING ; et
al. |
December 27, 2012 |
LIGHT GUIDE ASSEMBLY AND OPTICAL TOUCH MODULE USING THE SAME
Abstract
A light guide assembly includes a hollow mounting pillar and a
light guide member. The hollow mounting pillar includes a plurality
of sidewalls; a receiving groove is defined by the sidewalls and
has an inlet. One of the sidewalls serves as a transparent portion
and the rest of the sidewalls each serve as a reflection portion.
The light guide member is disposed in the receiving groove, and a
light incident surface of the light guide member is exposed from
the inlet. The light guide assembly has advantages such as having a
simpler production process and higher production efficiency. An
optical touch module adopting the light guide assembly is also
disclosed.
Inventors: |
LAI; HUNG-CHING; (Hsinchu,
TW) ; Chen; Hui-Hsuan; (Hsinchu, TW) |
Assignee: |
PixArt Imaging Inc.
Hsinchu City
TW
|
Family ID: |
47361394 |
Appl. No.: |
13/523833 |
Filed: |
June 14, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
345/175 ;
362/609 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02B 6/0088 20130101;
G06F 3/0421 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
345/175 ;
362/609 |
International
Class: |
F21V 7/04 20060101
F21V007/04; G06F 3/042 20060101 G06F003/042 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 22, 2011 |
TW |
100211351 |
Dec 1, 2011 |
TW |
100144222 |
Claims
1. A light guide assembly, comprising: a hollow mounting pillar
comprising a plurality of sidewalls, a receiving groove being
defined by the sidewalls and having an inlet, one of the sidewalls
serving as a transparent portion and the rest of the sidewalls each
serving as a reflection portion; and a light guide member disposed
in the receiving groove, and a light incident surface of the light
guide member being exposed from the inlet.
2. The light guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the
transparent portion contains light-filtering materials, and only a
light with a specific waveband can emit through the light-filtering
materials.
3. The light guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the
reflection portion contains reflective materials.
4. The light guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the
sidewalls of the hollow mounting pillar corporately have a
one-piece structure.
5. The light guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the
reflection portions comprise a first reflection portion, a second
reflection opposite to the first reflection portion, and a third
reflection portion arranged to be connected between the first and
second reflection portions, the third reflection portion is
arranged to be opposite to the transparent portion, and the
transparent portion is arranged to be connected between the first
and third reflection portions.
6. The light guide assembly according to claim 5, wherein the first
and second reflection portions are arranged to be parallel to each
other, the third reflection portion and the transparent portion are
arranged to be perpendicular to the first reflection portion.
7. The light guide assembly according to claim 5, wherein the
hollow mounting pillar further comprises an extension portion
extending from the third reflection portion in a direction away
from the receiving groove, the extension portion and the third
reflection portion corporately form a fillister.
8. The light guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the
hollow mounting pillar further comprises an extension portion and
at least a convex portion, the extension portion extends from the
reflection portion opposite to the transparent portion in a
direction away from the receiving groove, the extension portion and
the reflection portion corporately form a fillister, the convex
portion(s) is arranged to be connected to the extension portion and
disposed at an opening of the fillister.
9. The light guide assembly according to claim 8, wherein the
extension portion comprises a first plate and a second plate, the
first plate is arranged to be connected to the reflection portion
opposite to the transparent portion, the second plate is arranged
to be connected to the first plate and opposite to the reflection
portion opposite to the transparent portion, the convex portion(s)
extends from the second plate to the reflection portion opposite to
the reflection portion.
10. The light guide assembly according to claim 8, wherein the
extension portion comprises a first plate and a second plate, the
first plate and the second plate are arranged to be opposite to
each other and connected to the reflection portion opposite to the
transparent portion, the convex portion(s) comprises a first convex
portion and a second convex portion, the first convex portion
extends in a direction from the first plate to the second plate,
the second convex portion extends in a direction from the second
plate to the first plate.
11. The light guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the
transparent portion has a concentrator structure opposite to the
receiving groove.
12. An optical touch module with a sensing area, comprising: at
least a light guide assembly, each light guide assembly being
disposed on an associated side of the sensing area, each light
guide assembly comprising: a hollow mounting pillar comprising a
plurality of sidewalls, a receiving groove being defined by the
sidewalls, the receiving groove comprising an inlet, one of the
sidewalls serving as a transparent portion and another one of the
sidewalls serving as a reflection portion, the transparent portion
being arranged to be next to the sensing area; and a light guide
member disposed in the receiving groove, a light incidence surface
of the light guide member being exposed by the inlet; at least a
light source configured to provide a light to the light incidence
surface of the light guide member; and at least a light sensing
element disposed next to the sensing area.
13. The optical touch module according to claim 12, wherein the
sidewalls of the hollow mounting pillar corporately have a
one-piece structure.
14. The optical touch module according to claim 12, wherein the
hollow mounting pillar further comprises an extension portion and
at least a convex portion, the extension portion extends from the
reflection portion in a direction away from the receiving groove,
the extension portion and the reflection portion opposite to the
transparent portion corporately form a fillister, the convex
portion(s) is arranged to be connected to the extension portion and
disposed at an opening of the fillister.
15. The optical touch module according to claim 14, wherein the
extension portion comprises a first plate and a second plate, the
first plate is arranged to be connected to the reflection portion
opposite to the transparent portion, the second plate is arranged
to be connected to the first plate and opposite to the reflection
portion opposite to the transparent portion, the convex portion(s)
extends from the second plate to the reflection portion opposite to
the reflection portion.
16. The optical touch module according to claim 14, wherein the
extension portion comprises a first plate and a second plate, the
first plate and the second plate are arranged to be opposite to
each other and connected to the reflection portion opposite to the
transparent portion, the convex portion(s) comprises a first convex
portion and a second convex portion, the first convex portion
extends in a direction from the first plate to the second plate,
the second convex portion extends in a direction from the second
plate to the first plate.
17. The optical touch module according to claim 14, further
comprising two wires disposed in the fillister, the convex
portion(s) is configured to limit arrangement positions of the two
wires, the two wires are arranged to be electrically connected to a
positive end and a negative end of the light source,
respectively.
18. A light guide assembly, comprising: a hollow mounting pillar
comprising a plurality of sidewalls, a receiving groove being
defined by the sidewalls and having an inlet, one of the sidewalls
serving as a transparent portion and another one of the sidewalls
serving as a reflection portion, the hollow mounting pillar having
an one-piece structure produced by a two-component injection
molding technology, the reflection portions having materials
different with that of the transparent portion, the transparent
portion containing light-filtering materials and only a light with
a specific waveband can emit through the transparent materials; and
a light guide member disposed in the receiving groove and a light
incident surface thereof being exposed from the inlet.
19. The light guide assembly according to claim 18, wherein the
light-filtering materials are capable of being emitted through by
an infrared light.
20. The light guide assembly according to claim 18, wherein the
reflection portions each contains reflective materials.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to an optical touch module,
and more particularly to a light guide assembly adopted in an
optical touch module and an optical touch module using the
same.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Touch control module, due to have advantages such as an easy
operation, in recent years has been widely used in many electronic
products such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs),
digital cameras, music players, computers, satellite navigation
devices, touch screens and so on. Today, the common touch control
modules basically are categorized into the resistive touch modules,
the capacitive touch modules and the optical touch modules. The
optical touch modules, due to have some advantages such as a better
durability and a low cost, have drawn more and more attentions.
[0003] The optical touch module must provide lights to a sensing
area, so that the sensing element associated with the optical touch
module can sense and determine the positions of the touch points.
Conventionally, the guidance of lights to the sensing area is
performed by a reflective strip or a light guide component.
[0004] FIG. 1A is a schematic three-dimensional (3D) structure view
of a light guide assembly in a conventional optical touch module.
FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1A along a line I-I.
Please refer to FIGS. 1A, 1B. The light guide assembly 100 includes
a light guide strip 110, a reflector 120 and a housing 130. The
light guide strip 110 has a light incidence surface 112 and light
emission surfaces 114a, 114b, 114c and 114d each arranged to be
connected to the light incidence surface 112. The light emission
surfaces 114b, 114c and 114d of the light guide strip 110 are
wrapped by the reflector 120 and the light emission surface 114a,
opposite to a sensing area of an optical touch apparatus (not
shown), is arranged to be exposed from the reflector 120.
Therefore, through reflections of the reflector 120, the lights
emitted into the light guide strip 110 via the light incidence
surface 112 can emit out from the light emission surface 114a. The
housing 130 is arranged to wrap the reflector 120 and the light
guide strip 110, and the lights emitted from the light emission
surface 114a can emit through the housing 130.
[0005] However, in the conventional light guide assembly 100, the
reflector 120 and the housing 130 each need to be manufactured
individually and then assembled by a complicated assembling
process; thus, the light guide assembly 100 may result in, due to
need to be re-assembled if having inaccurate assembling positions,
a low production efficiency.
SUMMARY OF EMBODIMENTS
[0006] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide
a light guide assembly having a simpler production process and
higher production efficiency.
[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide an
optical touch module having a simpler production process and higher
production efficiency.
[0008] The present invention provides a light guide assembly, which
includes a hollow mounting pillar and a light guide member. The
hollow mounting pillar includes a plurality of sidewalls; a
receiving groove is defined by the sidewalls and has an inlet. One
of the sidewalls serves as a transparent portion and the rest of
the sidewalls each serve as a reflection portion. The light guide
member is disposed in the receiving groove, and a light incident
surface of the light guide member is exposed from the inlet.
[0009] In an embodiment of the present invention, the transparent
portion contains light-filtering materials, and only a light with a
specific waveband can emit through the light-filtering
materials.
[0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, the reflection
portion contains reflective materials.
[0011] In an embodiment of the present invention, the sidewalls of
the hollow mounting pillar corporately have a one-piece
structure.
[0012] In an embodiment of the present invention, the reflection
portions include a first reflection portion, a second reflection
opposite to the first reflection portion, and a third reflection
portion arranged to be connected between the first and second
reflection portions. The third reflection portion is arranged to be
opposite to the transparent portion. The transparent portion is
arranged to be connected between the first and third reflection
portions.
[0013] In an embodiment of the present invention, the first and
second reflection portions are arranged to be parallel to each
other, the third reflection portion and the transparent portion are
arranged to be perpendicular to the first reflection portion.
[0014] In an embodiment of the present invention, the hollow
mounting pillar further includes an extension portion extending
from the third reflection portion in a direction away from the
receiving groove. The extension portion and the third reflection
portion corporately form a fillister.
[0015] In an embodiment of the present invention, the hollow
mounting pillar further includes an extension portion and at least
a convex portion, the extension portion extends from the reflection
portion opposite to the transparent portion in a direction away
from the receiving groove, the extension portion and the reflection
portion corporately form a fillister, the convex portion(s) is
arranged to be connected to the extension portion and disposed at
an opening of the fillister.
[0016] In an embodiment of the present invention, the extension
portion includes a first plate and a second plate, the first plate
is arranged to be connected to the reflection portion opposite to
the transparent portion, the second plate is arranged to be
connected to the first plate and opposite to the reflection portion
opposite to the transparent portion, the convex portion(s) extends
from the second plate to the reflection portion opposite to the
reflection portion.
[0017] In an embodiment of the present invention, the extension
portion includes a first plate and a second plate, the first plate
and the second plate are arranged to be opposite to each other and
connected to the reflection portion opposite to the transparent
portion, the convex portion(s) includes a first convex portion and
a second convex portion, the first convex portion extends in a
direction from the first plate to the second plate, the second
convex portion extends in a direction from the second plate to the
first plate.
[0018] In an embodiment of the present invention, the transparent
portion has a concentrator structure opposite to the receiving
groove.
[0019] The present invention further provides an optical touch
module with a sensing area, which includes at least a light guide
assembly, at least a light source and at least a light sensing
element. Each light guide assembly is disposed on an associated
side of the sensing area. Each light source is configured to
provide a light to a light incidence surface of the light guide
member. Each light sensing element is disposed next to the sensing
area.
[0020] In an embodiment of the present invention, the sidewalls of
the hollow mounting pillar corporately have a one-piece
structure.
[0021] In an embodiment of the present invention, the optical touch
module further includes two wires disposed in the fillister, the
convex portion(s) is configured to limit arrangement positions of
the two wires, the two wires are arranged to be electrically
connected to a positive end and a negative end of the light source,
respectively.
[0022] The present invention still further provides a light guide
assembly, which includes a hollow mounting pillar and a light guide
member. The hollow mounting pillar includes a plurality of
sidewalls; a receiving groove is defined by the sidewalls and has
an inlet. One of the sidewalls serves as a transparent portion and
the rest of the sidewalls each serve as a reflection portion. The
hollow mounting pillar has a one-piece structure produced by a
two-component injection molding technology. The reflection portions
each have materials different with that of the transparent portion.
The transparent portion contains light-filtering materials and only
a light with a specific waveband can emit through the transparent
materials. The light guide member is disposed in the receiving
groove and a light incident surface thereof is exposed from the
inlet.
[0023] In summary, in the present invention, the light guide member
is disposed in the receiving groove which is defined by the
sidewalls of the hollow mounting pillar of the light guide
assembly, and the sidewalls of the hollow mounting pillar include
the transparent portions and the reflection portions; thus, the
light guide assembly according to the present invention, compared
with the conventional light guide assembly having a number of
components, can have light transparence and light reflection
functions without a complicated structure. In addition, the hollow
mounting pillar of the light guide assembly has, for example, a
one-piece structure; and thus, the light guide assembly according
to the present invention does not need a complicated assembly
process so as to avoid the inaccurate assembly and the re-assembly.
Therefore, the light guide assembly, as well as the optical touch
assembly using the light guide assembly, according to the present
invention can have higher production efficiency, and thereby
reducing the costs of the optical touch assembly and the light
guide assembly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] The above embodiments will become more readily apparent to
those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following
detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:
[0025] FIG. 1A is a schematic three-dimensional structure view of a
light guide assembly in a conventional optical touch module;
[0026] FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1A along a line
I-I;
[0027] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of an optical touch module in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 along a line
II-II;
[0029] FIG. 4 is a schematic decomposition view of a light guide
assembly adopted in the optical touch module of FIG. 2;
[0030] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a light guide
assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the present
invention;
[0031] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a light guide
assembly in accordance with a further embodiment of the present
invention;
[0032] FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating the relative
positions of a light guide assembly, a light source and wires in
accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention;
and
[0033] FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating the relative
positions of a light guide assembly, a light source and a
conduction wire in accordance with still another embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0034] The disclosure will now be described more specifically with
reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the
following descriptions of preferred embodiments are presented
herein for purpose of illustration and description only. It is not
intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form
disclosed.
[0035] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of an optical touch module in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a
cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 along a line II-II. FIG. 4 is a
schematic decomposition view of a light guide assembly adopted in
the optical touch module of FIG. 2. Please refer to FIGS. 2, 3 and
4. The optical touch module 200 includes a sensing area 201, and
the sensing area 201 includes a plurality of sidewalls 210. In the
present embodiment, the sensing area 201 roughly has, without a
limitation, a rectangular structure; and it is understood that the
sensing area 201 may have other polygonal structures in other
embodiments. The optical touch module 200 further includes a
plurality of light guide assemblies 220, and each is disposed on a
side of an associated sidewall 210 of the sensing area 201. In the
present embodiment, it is to be noted that it is not necessary to
arrange a light guide assembly 220 on a side of each sidewall 210
of the sensing area 201. In addition, the number of the light guide
assemblies 220 can vary based on an actual need. In the present
embodiment, there are, for example, three light guide assemblies
220, which are disposed on the sides of three sidewalls 210 of the
sensing area 201, respectively. The optical touch module 200
further includes at least one light source 230 and at least one
light sensing element 240; wherein the numbers and arrangement
positions of the light source(s) 230 and light sensing element(s)
240 can vary based on an actual need. In the present embodiment,
there are, for example, two light sources 230 and two light sensing
elements 240. Specifically, each light source 230 is configured to
provide lights to the associated light guide assemblies 220; each
light guide assembly 220 is configured to guide the associated
lights to the sensing area 201; and each light sensing element 240
is disposed on a side of the sensing area 201 and configured to
sense the lights emitted from the associated light guide assembly
220.
[0036] Moreover, the light guide assembly 220 includes a hollow
mounting pillar 222 and a light guide member 224. The hollow
mounting pillar 222 includes a plurality of sidewalls. In the
present embodiment, the hollow mounting pillar 222 includes, for
example, four sidewalls 223a, 223b, 223c and 223d; and a receiving
groove 225 is defined by these four sidewalls 223a, 223b, 223c and
223d. The receiving groove 225 is accommodative to the light guide
member 224, so the light guide member 224 is capable of being
disposed inside the receiving groove 225. In particular, the
receiving groove 225 has an inlet 226 and through the inlet 226 the
light guide member 224 can be disposed inside the receiving groove
225. It is to be noted that the number of the sidewalls is not
limited in the present embodiment, and accordingly the shape of the
receiving groove 225 varies with the number of the sidewalls. In
addition, the receiving groove 225 includes only one inlet 226 in
the present embodiment; however, the receiving groove 225 may
include two inlets 226 disposed at the two opposite ends thereof in
other embodiments.
[0037] One of the sidewalls 223a, 223b, 223c and 223d of the hollow
mounting pillar 222 serves as a transparent portion, and the rest
three each serve as a reflection portion. In particular, the
sidewall 223a is, for example, a transparent portion and the
sidewalls 223b, 223c and 223d each are, for example, a reflection
portion; therefore, hereafter mark 223a is also designated as a
transparent portion and marks 223b, 223c and 223d each are also
designated as a reflection portion. It is to be noted that, in the
present embodiment, the number of the sidewalls serving as a
transparent portion is not limited to one and neither the number of
the sidewalls serving as a reflection portion is limited; in
particular, the number of the transparent portions and the number
of the reflection portions can vary based on an actual need.
[0038] The transparent portion 223a is arranged to be opposite to
the sensing area 201, and through the transparent portion 223a the
lights provided by the light source 230 can be transmitted to the
sensing area 201. The transparent portion 223a is made of
transparent materials. In one embodiment, the transparent materials
are light-filtering materials and only the lights with a specific
waveband can emit through the light-filtering materials; so, the
transparent portion 223a also serves as a light-filtering portion.
The light sensing element 240 of the optical touch module 200 is
configured to sense the aforementioned lights with a specific
waveband. For example, the light-filtering materials can be
selected from the materials capable of being emitted through by the
infrared light and filtering the non-infrared light if the light
sensing element 240 is configured to sense the infrared light and
the light source 223a is configured to provide the infrared light.
In addition, in order to increase the sensing accuracy of the light
sensing element 240, the transparent materials of the transparent
portion 223a can be selected from dark materials (for example, the
black material).
[0039] The reflection portions 223b, 223c and 223d each are made of
reflective materials. In the present embodiment, the reflection
portions 223b, 223c are arranged to be opposite to each other; the
reflection portion 223d is arranged to be connected between the
reflection portions 223b, 223c; and the transparent portion 223a is
arranged to be connected between the reflection portions 223b,
223c. In the present embodiment, without a limitation, the
reflection portions 223b, 223c are arranged to be parallel to each
other, and the reflection portion 223d and the transparent portion
223a are arranged to be perpendicular to the reflection portion
223b.
[0040] Moreover, the light guide member 224 has a light incidence
surface 2241 and a plurality of light emission surfaces 2242, 2243,
2244 and 2245 which are arranged to be connected to the light
incidence surface 2241. After the light guide member 224 is
disposed inside the receiving groove 225 through the inlet 226, the
light incidence surface 2241 of the light guide member 224 is
exposed by the inlet 226. In the embodiment of the receiving groove
225 having two inlets 226 disposed at two ends thereof, the surface
2246 of the light guide member 224 opposite to the light incidence
surface 2241 can also serve as another light incidence surface.
[0041] In the present embodiment, the light guide member 224 has,
without a limitation, a rectangular prism. In a preferred
embodiment, in order to avoid the assembly bias so the light guide
member 224 can be fixed in the receiving groove 225 more
accurately, the size of the receiving groove 225 is corresponding
to that of the light guide member 224. In other words, the light
guide member 224 in the receiving groove 225 are arranged to be
attached on the sidewalls 223a, 223b, 223c and 223d of the hollow
mounting pillar 222. In the present embodiment, the light emission
surface 2242 is arranged to be opposite to the reflection portion
223c; the light emission surface 2243 is arranged to be opposite to
the reflection portion 223b; the light emission surface 2244 is
arranged to be opposite to the reflection portion 223d; and the
light emission surface 2245 is arranged to be opposite to the
transparent portion 223a. The lights emitted from the light source
230 emit into the light guide member 224 through the light
incidence surface 2241 thereof, and emit out from the light guide
member 224 through the light emission surfaces 2242, 2243, 2244 and
2245 thereof. A portion of lights emitted out from the light
emission surfaces 2242, 2243 and 2244 are respectively reflected by
the reflection portions 223b, 223c and 223d of the hollow mounting
pillar 222; and thus, most of the lights provided by the light
source 230 can be emitted out from the light emission surface 2245
and then further transmitted to the sensing area 201 through the
transparent portion 223a of the hollow mounting pillar 222.
[0042] It is to be noted that, in the present embodiment, the
sidewalls 223a, 223b, 223c and 223d of the hollow mounting pillar
222 of the light guide assembly 220 corporately have, for example,
an one-piece structure, and the hollow mounting pillar 222 can be
produced by the two-component injection molding technology; wherein
the aforementioned two components contain the material for forming
the reflection portions 223b, 223c and 223d and the material for
forming the transparent portion 223a. Because the sidewalls 223a,
223b, 223c and 223d are fixed to each other once the hollow
mounting pillar 222 is produced, there will be no any extra time
for the assembling of the sidewalls 223a, 223b, 223c and 223d of
the hollow mounting pillar 222. In other words, the present
embodiment only needs to dispose the light guide member 224 inside
the receiving groove 225 when the light guide assembly 220 is being
assembled. And thus, the light guide assembly 220 according to the
present embodiment does not need, compared with the conventional
technologies, a complicated assembly process so as to avoid the
inaccurate assembly and the re-assembly. Therefore, the light guide
assembly 220, as well as the optical touch assembly 200 using the
light guide assembly 220, according to the present embodiment can
have higher production efficiency, and thereby reducing the costs
of the optical touch assembly 200 and the light guide assembly
220.
[0043] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a light guide
assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the present
invention. As shown, the light guide assembly 220a according to the
present embodiment is similar to the aforementioned light guide
assembly 220, and the main difference between the two is that the
transparent portion 223a' of the hollow mounting pillar 222a has a
concentrator structure 221, which is arranged to be, for example,
opposite to the receiving groove 225 of the hollow mounting pillar
222a. The concentrator structure 221 is configured to provide a
light-concentration effect so as to increase the light utilization
ratio of an associated optical touch module which adopts the light
guide assembly 220a.
[0044] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a light guide
assembly in accordance with a further embodiment of the present
invention. As shown, the light guide assembly 220b according to the
present embodiment is similar to the aforementioned light guide
assembly 220, and the main difference between the two is that the
hollow mounting pillar 222b further includes an extension portion
229, which is arranged to extend, relative to the reflection
portion 223d opposite to the transparent portion 223a, in a
direction away from the receiving groove 225, and the extension
portion 229 and the reflection portion 223d corporately form a
fillister 255 for arranging wires of an associated optical touch
module. The extension portion 229 includes, for example, a first
plate 251 and a second plate 252. The first plate 251 is arranged
to be connected to the reflection portion 223d, and the second
plate 252 is arranged to be connected to the first plate 251 and
opposite to the reflection portion 223d. The fillister 255 is
formed between the first plate 251, the second plate 252 and the
reflection portion 223d. In addition, this extension portion 229,
the transparent portion 223a, the reflection portions 223b, 223c,
and 223d corporately have, for example, an one-piece structure, so
there will be no any extra time for the fixing of the extension
portion 229 while the light guide assembly 220b is being assembled.
FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating the relative positions of a
light guide assembly, a light source and wires in accordance with
still another embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the
light guide assembly 220c according to the present embodiment is
similar to the light guide assembly 220b in FIG. 6; the main
difference between the two is that the hollow mounting pillar 222c
further includes at least one convex portion 253; wherein FIG. 7 is
exemplified by one convex portion 253. The convex portion 253 is
arranged to be connected to the extension portion 229 and disposed
at an opening of the fillister 255. Specifically, the convex
portion 253 extends from one end (for example, the end far away
from the first plate 251) of the second plate 252 and toward the
reflection portion 223d.
[0045] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the light guide
member of the light guide assembly 220c of the optical touch module
is blocked by the light source 230 arranged next to itself, thus
the light guide member is not shown in FIG. 7. The wires 261, 262
of the optical touch module are arranged to be electrically
connected to the positive end 232 and the negative end 234 of the
light source 230, respectively, and for transmitting the electrical
power to the light source 230. The wires 261, 262 are arranged in
the fillister 255. The convex portion 253 and the fillister 255 are
configured to limit the arrangement positions of the wires 261, 262
in the fillister 255. In order to facilitate a simpler production
process, the convex portion 253 can have a structure with a wider
bottom and a narrower top, such as a triangular or a
semi-cylindrical structure; however, it is to be noted that the
present invention does not limit the shape of the convex portion
253. In addition, the extension portion 229, the convex portion 253
and the sidewalls 223a, 223b, 223c, and 223d of the hollow mounting
pillar 222c corporately have a one-piece structure.
[0046] FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating the relative
positions of a light guide assembly, a light source and a
conduction wire in accordance with still another embodiment of the
present invention. As shown, the light guide assembly 220d
according to the present embodiment is similar to the light guide
assembly 220c in FIG. 7, and the main difference between the two is
related to the extension portion. In the present embodiment, the
extension portion 254 of the hollow mounting pillar 222d includes a
first plate 256 and a second plate 257, which are arranged to be
opposite to each other and connected to the reflection portion 223d
opposite to the transparent portion 223a. The first plate 256, the
second plate 257 and the reflection portion 223d corporately forms
a fillister 263. In addition, the hollow mounting pillar 222d, for
example, further includes two convex portions 258, 259 disposed at
an opening of the fillister 263. The convex portion 258 extends in
a direction from the first plate 256 toward the second plate 257;
and the convex portion 259 extends in a direction from the second
plate 257 toward the first plate 256. The convex portions 258, 259
each have a structure similar to that of the aforementioned convex
portion 253; thus, there is no any unnecessary detail will be given
herein.
[0047] Similarly, the light guide member of the light guide
assembly 220d is blocked by the light source 230 arranged next to
itself; thus, the light guide member is not shown in FIG. 8. The
wires 261, 262 are arranged in the fillister 263; wherein the wire
261 is limited in a space formed by the first plate 256, the convex
portion 258 and the reflection portion 223d; and the wire 262 is
limited in a space formed by the second plate 257, the convex
portion 259 and the reflection portion 223d. The wires 261, 262 are
arranged to be electrically connected to the positive end 232 and
the negative end 234 of the light source 230, respectively.
[0048] It is to be noted that, the light guide assembly 220 in the
optical touch module 200 can be replaced by the light guide
assemblies 220a, 220b, 220c and 220d each. In addition, the
transparent portion 223a of the light guide assemblies 220b, 220c
and 220d may also have the concentrator structure 221 shown in FIG.
5.
[0049] In summary, in the present invention, the light guide member
is disposed in the receiving groove which is defined by the
sidewalls of the hollow mounting pillar of the light guide
assembly, and the sidewalls of the hollow mounting pillar include
the transparent portions and the reflection portions; thus, the
light guide assembly according to the present invention, compared
with the conventional light guide assembly having a number of
components, can have light transparence and light reflection
functions without a complicated structure. In addition, the hollow
mounting pillar of the light guide assembly has, for example, a
one-piece structure; and thus, the light guide assembly according
to the present invention does not need a complicated assembly
process so as to avoid the inaccurate assembly and the re-assembly.
Therefore, the light guide assembly, as well as the optical touch
assembly using the light guide assembly, according to the present
invention can have higher production efficiency, and thereby
reducing the costs of the optical touch assembly and the light
guide assembly.
[0050] While the disclosure has been described in terms of what is
presently considered to be the most practical and preferred
embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure needs not
be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is
intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements
included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which
are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to
encompass all such modifications and similar structures.
* * * * *